Abstract: A method and structure for an image processing apparatus includes a photoconductive surface adapted to receive an electrostatic charge from a charging device, and a contamination control apparatus adjacent the photoconductive surface. The contamination control apparatus has an input air port and an output air port that produce an air current that removes contaminates from an area near the charging device.

Abstract: Control of the magnetic signal strength of magnetic images is attained selectively (1) by adjusting exposure and (2) by adjusting the toner concentration, wherein the signal strength control is by way of controlling exposure rather by adjusting the toner concentration whenever the desired amount of signal strength control can be attained by adjusting the amount of exposure. Generally, the amount of attainable exposure has minimum and maximum limits; and the toner concentration is adjusted only when an exposure value change is called for which would cause the exposure to exceed those limits. When the toner concentration does need to be adjusted, an excessive amount of adjustment will stop the apparatus and request service. To increase the signal strength of the MICR image, toner replenishment is permitted to continue only for a predetermined amount of time. To decrease the signal strength of the MICR image, high-density prints are generated without replenishing the toner particles.

Abstract: An apparatus forms unfixed toner images on receiving sheets and fixes the images using a fuser having at least one heated roller. A temperature control means for the roller has a run set point and a standby set point. The apparatus monitors the formation of images. If the formation is interrupted, which would result in a skipped sheet at the fuser, set point for the fuser is adjusted toward the standby set point. The invention is particularly usable in a printer in which skip frames develop because a raster image processor is unable to form pages as fast as the printer can print pages.

Abstract: An electrophotographic dry toner having excellent properties with respect to charging, RH stability and fusing is made in a process in which the binder polymer is formed by suspension polymerizing a styrene-acrylic monomer mixture in the presence of a polyester-promoted colloidal silica suspending agent which is free of other hydrophilic polymers. The resulting polymer is melt blended with toner addenda such as a colorant and a charge control agent and the mixture is pulverized to form the toner composition.